A Raisin In The Sun Act 3 Scene 2
by JerinAnn
Summary: The next scene of Act 3 from A Raisin In The Sun. Originally a school project. Disclaimer: Don't own anything but the idea. (One-Shot)


Scene Two

_One week later,_

_As the curtain rises, we see _MAMA_ tending her plant. _WALTER_ and _RUTH_ can be seen sitting in the living room talking. We can hear _BENEATHA_ talking to _ASAGAI_ outside in the backyard. We can hear _ASAGAI_ asking _BENNIE _about Africa. Their voices start to fade out as they walk down the street. _WALTER_ and _RUTH'S_ voices are becoming clearer._

RUTH Where's Travis?

WALTER He's at the store, runnin' groceries.

RUTH Well, he's supposed to be home by now. It's half-passed six!

WALTER I'm sure there's a good reason he's runnin' late.

MAMA _(sets her plant down and goes to stand by _Ruth_)_ I told that boy not to go runnin' groceries. He need not work for this house. My, that boy. Such a good and thoughtful boy.

WALTER We need all the money we can get Mama. We will barely had enough 'fore we were here.

MAMA _(angrily) _But making that boy work for this house when he's not even eleven. Big Walter didn't even make you do that!

_(_TRAVIS_ enters. He's looking at the ground with a faint shadow on his cheek. When he looks up slightly, we can see that it's a bruise. His eyes are watering, and it's evident that he's trying not to cry. His clothes are ripped slightly and a few shallow straps can be seen. He tries to walk out of the living room but is stopped by _RUTH_)_

RUTH Travis, come here. _(_TRAVIS_ continues to walk towards his room) _Travis, come here now. _(_TRAVIS_ still continues to leave the room. _RUTH_ had enough) _Travis, if you don't get over here, your going to get a whipping.

TRAVIS _(flinches slightly) _Yes, Ma'am _(_TRAVIS_ walks slowly over to _RUTH _with his head cast downward so she can't see his face.)_

MAMA Boy, have we taught you nothing? Keep you head held high._ (_TRAVIS _brings his head up slightly and then lets it drop back into its original position)_

RUTH Travis, let me see your face. _(_TRAVIS _keeps his head tilted towards the ground)_ Travis, let me see your face!

_ (_TRAVIS_ slowly tilts his head up. We can hear everyone gasp as they see the faint bruises on his face. They can see the small cuts and scraps making a collage under his slightly ripped clothes. We can see _MAMA _and _RUTH_ put their hands over their mouths. _WALTER_ runs over to _TRAVIS_ and grabs his shoulders)_

WALTER Boy, who did this! _(_WALTER_ yells while shaking him slightly. _TRAVIS_ doesn't answer) _Boy, tell me, who did this to you!

TRAVIS _(whining) _Daddy.

MAMA Travis. _(she says sternly. We can see her eyes are slightly squinted and the wrinkles on her brow are more pronounces as her eyebrows furrow. She shared a looked with _RUTH_)_

RUTH Baby, please.

TRAVIS _(looks pained) _I can't, Mama_._ I just can't.

WALTER You tell us what happened now! _(_Travis_ is still staring dejectedly at the floor)_ Travis. _(_WALTER_ nearly growls)_

TRAVIS Daddy...

WALTER Yes.

TRAVIS They... were some of the white kids from down the street. I don't know what house they from, Daddy, honest. They follow me after I finished walking the bags for some nice lady at the grocery store and... they came behind me and pushed me. They told me... they told me no Nigger should live on their street. That dirt's worth more than me. They picked up sticks and started hitting me with them. They took all the money I made, Mama, and ran off. _(_TRAVIS_ had tears in his eyes. _MAMA_ and _RUTH_ are looking horrified at _TRAVIS_. _WALTER is_ frozen with fury. Anger's building up in him at the mention of someone telling him his boy, his flesh and blood, wasn't worth the dirt they walked on)_

RUTH _(in a weak voice) _Travis, go to your room. I'll be there in a moment. _(_TRAVIS_ nods slowly, and walks out of the room without another word._ RUTH_ looks at _MAMA _and _WALTER_)_ What are we going to do? My baby doesn't deserve to have a beaten.

MAMA It's my fault. _(_WALTER_ and _RUTH_ look at her questionably)_ If I hadn't insisted on buying this here house, none of this would have happened.

RUTH Lena! This isn't your fault. _(_MAMA_ didn't respond. _RUTH_ sighed)_ I best be checking on him. I want to clean those cuts before they get infected.

_(_RUTH_ exits. _BENEATHA _enters with a dreamy look on her face. She is muttering under her breath about Africa. She has a slight smile on her face as she passes _WALTER _and _MAMA_. She stops mid-step as she finally realizes the mood of the room is different than her own)_

BENEATHA _(sarcastically) _Why, isn't it my almighty brother. What have you done this time, given up the house?

WALTER Bennie, this is no time for games.

BENEATHA Oh, so you're the only one allowed do what you please? The wonderful Mr. Walter Lee, everyone. Mr. I'll-Give-Away-My-Father's-Money-To-A-Cheap-Scumbag.

MAMA Bennie, watch how you talk to your brother. Say one more thing, and you'll get a whipping.

BENEATHA Oh, but Mama, I just love my dear mess of a brother. Ain't no one I love more in this world.

MAMA _(angrily) _Beneatha.

WALTER Oh, let's just tell her and see if she can make a joke of it. Travis came home today with cuts and bruises all over him. He was beaten by some white kids on the street.

BENEATHA _(shocked) _I'm sorry, Walter. _(_BENEATHA_ looks at the ground as she with a confused look on her face. She was shocked to hear that her nephew was beaten today. We can see in her eyes that she can't believe something like that could happen to a good boy like _TRAVIS_) _What exactly happened?

WALTER Travis was walking home after he finished walking groceries, and he was beaten by some white kids. They took all the money he made. He's been beating pretty bad. _(_WALTER _was getting angrier as he talked)_

MAMA I can't just believe that anyone would want to hurt that boy. That lovely boy how does nothing to hurt others.

BENEATHA Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to come here. Maybe we should have stayed in that apartment.

WALTER No. This would have happened eventually where ever we went. Moving here only speed it up. _(_MAMA _looks at _WALTER _with shock. She was shocked to find that _WALTER_ was talking like _BIG WALTER_ would if he was still alive)_

BENEATHA So what are you going to do Walter? Are you just going to sit here waiting for your son to get beaten again? Are you going to go out there and stop it? What, what are you going to do.

WALTER I'm going to go have a word with my son. Can you two leave so I can talk to him. Send him out when you go.

_(_BENEATHA _and_ MAMA _exit. _TRAVIS _enters. _TRAVIS _is looking down at the floor. He looks scared of what awaits. _TRAVIS _looks up to see _WALTER _studying his face)_

TRAVIS Daddy, what are you looking at?

WALTER _(ignoring his question)_ Travis, sit down here please.

TRAVIS _(goes over and sits by _WALTER _on the love seat. _TRAVIS _is looking at _WALTER'S _face trying to see his expression, which _WALTER _leaves blank) _Daddy? _(Travis asks in a small voice. He's getting nervous by the lack of response from _WALTER)

WALTER Son, tell me exactly what happened.

TRAVIS _(while looking at the floor) _I told you what exactly happened.

WALTER Travis, you know who did this, don't you?

TRAVIS _(still looking at the floor) _Yes'r _(he doesn't elaborate. He's afraid of what would happen to him if he told his father who it was)_

WALTERTravis, tell me. _(_TRAVIS _suddenly bursts out crying. He can't take the pressure anymore. He's terrified of what would happen to him after he tells _WALTER _and also what would happen if he doesn't. It is easy to see the terror and pain on his face and the anger and sadness on _WALTER'S) Tell me who broke my boy's spirit. Tell me who dare hurt my son for no good reason. Tell me!

TRAVIS _(threw his sobs) _I... I can't, Daddy, I just can't. They said they would hurt me, that they would give me a worse beating if I told a soul. I can't! I can't!

_ (_WALTER_ stands up from his seat to kneel in front of _TRAVIS. _He can see the pain sketched on _TRAVIS'S _face. _WALTER _is torn between continuing to pester his son into telling him who did it and letting it go so his son won't be in anymore pain. The knowledge that if he doesn't have this talk with his son, he will still get beaten strengthens his resolve)_

WALTER Travis, tell me. I promise that nothing will happen to you. You can tell me anything, ask me for anything, and I will always be here to help you. Just come to me with the truth, Son. Tell me the truth.

TRAVIS _(finally looking up at _WALTER_ with tears staining his face) _Daddy, I... It was Billy and Joel from down the street. They saw me at the market, I guess, and decided to pass the time, as they put it. They were talking while they were coming at me about trying different things, like sticks and rocks. They decided that they would try the sticks today and tomorrow the rocks. They were trying to think up some new ideas and... they said that it's best to try it out on some little Nigger. They said no one would care, if anything they would get congratulated. _(terror floods back into his eyes) _Daddy, you can't say a word! They said if I said a word, they would hurt me more. Please, Daddy!

WALTER _(looks at his son for a moment. He has a thoughtful look on his face as he if trying to find a way to deal with the situation. His instincts tell him to find those kids and their parents and teach them a lesson, or at least yell at them, but he has to think of his son. He sees the pain and fear in his eyes. He doesn't want his kid to be afraid, but he doesn't want to betray the trust his son has for him)_ Son, how about some advice. Since you have trusted me with this information, I won't go and betray yours. If they come at you again, or even start yelling at you from across the street, run. Run straight home. You are faster than most boys around your age. I want you to come straight home and find me, Ruth or even Mama. You come straight home. If they are already beating you, you push them away and come straight home. Don't start the fight, or even participate in the fight. You safety comes first. Do you understand.

TRAVIS _(looking thoughtful) _Yes'r _(he looks at _WALTER _with big, red eyes. He has a small smile on his face)_ Thanks, Daddy.

WALTER _(puts his hand on _TRAVIS'S _head as he musses his hair) _Go on, then. Go get ready for bed.

TRAVIS _(smiling at _WALTER) Yes, Daddy. 'Night. _(he runs down the hall to the bathroom as _MAMA _enters the room. _MAMA _is looking at _WALTER _with eyes that go beyond her many years. They are surveying him with a new light._

WALTER Mama? _(he questions with a confused look)_

MAMA _(sighing) _You sounded just like Big Walter. Always looking out for his family, not starting fights unless absolutely necessary. He was sure to make sure his pride was in tack with every action he made. He made sure that no one would disgrace his family name. You have grown up in his shadow, and have taken on a new light. You have a glow similar to his. It's times like these, I am proud not only to call you the head of this family, but also my son.

_(_MAMA _leaves the room again. _WALTER _sits back on the loveseat as he thinks over what _MAMA _has just said. He looks nowhere in particular as he thinks about what this means. _MAMA _had never said straight-out that she was ever proud of him. She would make messages and show him in small ways, but never outright. _WALTER _thinks back to how much he has learned in the last couple of weeks. Dreams are never always set in stone, some dreams waver over time. The dreams worth perusing are the ones to which help family. As the curtain slowly drops, we see _WALTER _still sitting there with a huge smile across his face)_

_Curtain_


End file.
